3 Reasons Going Will Change Your Life

by Amie Martin | Journey Trip Mobilization DirectorBeing the new Journey Trip Mobilization Director for World Orphans, I am given the wonderful opportunity to hear testimonies from all over the world. It is exciting to hear all God has done in people’s lives, and all He continues to do as they take the next step and go on a World Orphans Journey Trip. They will see firsthand how orphans are impacted around the world by partnering churches together for the glory of God. One of the beauties of being part of this process is journeying with them as they discover what the Lord will do through the seed of a Journey Trip.

What is a JourneyTrip? Journey Trips, a ministry of World Orphans, exists to encourage, educate, and empower individuals to be lifelong orphan advocates, in response to God's command in Isaiah 1:17 to defend the oppressed and to take up the cause of the fatherless. Journey Trips are designed within World Orphans ongoing Church Partnerships to educate both individuals, and the church, to care for orphans.

Going will certainly change your life! Though you will see, hear, feel, and encounter the brokenness God sees every day, I think going will change your life because you will experience the joy of being included in God’s work. Everyone can benefit from a short-term mission trip in the context of long-term partnership.

Listen to how the lives of three Journey Trip members were changed by Christ after going on a trip. This is what the LORD showed them.

1) A Changed Worldview

“Well for one it opened my eyes to the fact that what I stress over is really just a First World problem. There are so many things out there that we make such a big deal about. Having gone to Haiti just makes me want to say, “Really? We are going to complain about that?” It just gave me a better worldview outside of myself, including the things that I find comfortable. I have wrestled with why we have so much and others have so little.” - Wendy Booth

2) Evaluating the Use of Time & Resources

"God allowed us to minister in Haiti so we'd get over ourselves. For me that was a huge part of it. I am so much more intentional about what I say, what I spend, and am intentionally giving every moment of every day into His hands to be His vessel - whether it is going to the gas station or sitting with someone who's dying -if it matters to Jesus it must matter to me.” - Toni Holtzman

3) Building Long-Term Relationships

“The trip made me realize how much our attempts to "help" and "minister" to the least of these really just hurts them more or barely scratches the surface of the problem. So many factors have to be accounted for when attempting to help a refugee, homeless person, single mother, etc. We are so tempted to put a band aid on the issue but aren't willing to get dirty and scrape the wound out. I've been challenged since returning home to dig deeper into those "dirty" relationships by taking time to get to know the person and the heart of the issue before giving them a handout and leaving them where they started.” - Lilly Deacon

I know each of these ladies personally as they were a part of my Journey team to Haiti in 2014. They are now fully engaged in ministry and partnering for the sake of the orphan … for the sake of the Gospel! How beautiful that Lilly is able to witness the need for ongoing relationship when ministering to others, that Toni is able to consider each moment as it matters to Jesus, and that Wendy is re-evaluating things of this world in light of eternity. A Journey Trip may be one of the first steps in your journey regarding where God wants to take your life in advocating on behalf of orphans. He has so much to teach you about His heart for them. Join us!